Taking risks for the safety of oneself and one’s own family is necessary.
This theme is first shown at the beginning of the story when Sundara and her family are forced to uproot from the safety of their homes in Cambodia without any idea as to where their journey will take them. The family knows that if they stay they “will all die” (Crew 4) and so they must leave. Symbolically, it is as this point where they choose to leave the relatively calm mountain stream to the roaring unpredictability of the river. |
Even when one cannot see the situation becoming any better in the future, one must endure the difficult times and be positive that something better must be up ahead.
This theme is illustrated through the long and arduous journey that Sundara and her family were forced to take before coming to the relative comfort of her family home in Willamette Grove, Oregon. As Sundara tells Jonathan, “Oh we not head for anyplace. First we go Thailand, then Malaysia, than Indonesia… we don’t know where we gonna end up” (Crew 51). Symbolically, this represents the tributaries of the river- comparatively narrow strips of dirty water with no clear home or destination. |
If one perseveres through the obstacles that life presents them, one will eventually achieve better for oneself.
This theme is made apparent through the difficult years that first faced Sundara and her family in the United States as we are told that both Naro and Soko “sank into depression” (Crew 79) and “had to ride a bicycle home from work freezing rain, how you’d fall down on the living room carpet and lie like a frozen corpse” (Crew 187). Symbolically, this point is the watershed point in their lives where they know that their lives can and will get better in this new country through “working without sparing our hands” (Crew 187). |
Seemingly small alterations in one’s life can lead to big changes at the end of the day.
This theme is illustrated through Sundara’s seemingly harmless, unimportant choice to speak to Jonathan. The conversation started as though it were an actual project for class with Sundara saying that she would talk to him if “I can help you” (Crew 40). This casual relationship altered and changed the course of both of their lives forever as they came to know one another and grew to “love” (Crew 158) each other. Symbolically, this theme can be represented as the confluence of the river. It may be just a small distance to begin with to set the water flowing down two different paths, but it is this small difference that eventually creates a large divide between the two parts of the river. |
One must not try too hard to hold onto the past or one will be left behind.
This theme is most apparent in Pok Simo and his family. Pok Simo’s family came from a family of high military attaché and it is apparent through his resentment for “Sundara’s proud way of walking in the hallways” (Crew 75) and Pok Sary’s statement saying “the new lady is a widow of a very high-ranking military officer. It would hardly be appropriate for you to be telling her how to do things, would it?” (Crew 186) Due to this refusal to conform to American society where everyone is equal and gains higher social status through hard work and ability alone, Pok Simo and his family cannot climb up the social ladder in American society and instead stay confined to menial labor. Pok Simo and his family represent the flood plain of the river. It is at this point where the river is almost drained, of it’s former glory, but despite the fact that it this part seems to no longer be part of the river it has no choice for it is trapped as part of the river. |
It is inevitable to adapt to one’s surroundings when assimilated for a period of time.
This theme is constantly illustrated throughout the story as Sundara and her family become increasingly American despite their undying efforts to hold on to their traditional Khmer values. Even Soko, arguably the most traditionally Khmer in the family to the exception of Grandmother, cannot help but become more and more American as she says “The best American idea as far as I’m concerned is a man being allowed only one wife” (Crew 78) and declares “I think it means more to have to work your way up” (Crew 187). These two ideals are undeniably American, proving that one cannot help but assimilate to their surroundings. The effects of Americanization are featured the most prominently in Ravy who we are told he “loved burgers and fries. He ate them any chance he got” (Crew 16). This theme symbolically represents the mouth of the river, the point where the water blends and assimilates to the rest of mainstream society. |